The safety of those persons riding in an automobile has been enhanced by the use of seat belts and air bags. These safety devices help restrain the person from moving forward in the vehicle when the vehicle is impacted at the front. However, in rear-end collisions, when the automobile is impacted from the rear, it is the seat back which keeps the driver and front seat passenger from flying into the back of the car. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reports data that, in the calendar year 1990, more than 1,100 people were killed when the car in which they were riding was hit from behind. In addition, about 1,600 persons sustained life-threatening injuries like brain damage, loss of limb, burns or paralysis when the car in which they were riding was impacted from the rear. In such accidents, upon impact, the front seat back breaks and falls to a position where its top lies on the rear seat bottom cushion. The seat belt provides little restraint in this position, and the person slides back and collides into the back of the back seat. As the person in the front seat slides back under the seat belt, his head is forced into the rear seat back cushion with possible head injury and possible damage to the spine. In addition to these bodily risks, when the driver is thrown to this horizontal position, he can no longer reach the vehicle controls. This loss of control may lead to a second and otherwise avoidable accident. It is desirable to provide the conventional seat back with a supplemental restraint system to avoid or minimize the problems resulting from seat back failure.